Fearing being killed for his overwhelming merits, the empress decided to marry him.

Lin Yu fell silent again, having no idea who should be in charge of investigating this matter.

The sharp decline in the registered population of the capital region is, in essence, the same old problem.

Caused by land consolidation.

If this were investigated, how many of the people standing inside the hall could be innocent?

Moreover, who in the entire court has the courage to investigate thoroughly? This would be tantamount to going against the aristocratic families, practically courting death.

"What's wrong, Minister Lin? Why won't you answer me?"

Seeing that Lin Yu remained silent for a long time, Jiang Mengxuan gradually lost her patience and adopted an aggressive attitude.

Now that she has become the Empress, she has few concerns. The more illustrious Shen Lang's military achievements are, the more secure her position will be.

Her fate was already intertwined with his.

Lin Yu sighed softly, cupped his hands in greeting, and replied, "Your Majesty, this case involves extremely serious matters."

"I truly haven't decided who should investigate; it would be more appropriate to leave it to the Ministry of Justice."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Kui, the Minister of Justice, felt a jolt in his eyelids and thought to himself, "We're doomed."

Sure enough, the Empress's cold voice rang out again the next second.

"Minister Zhu, as the Minister of Justice, tell me, who should be assigned to thoroughly investigate this case?"

Zhu Kui had no choice but to step forward and say, "Your Majesty, I will work with the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review to thoroughly investigate this case."

Jiang Mengxuan: Oh, so it seems you already have someone in mind?

"This……"

Zhu Kui immediately backed down; the Empress's words were tantamount to putting himself on the hot seat.

As long as someone is nominated, regardless of the outcome, not only will one's career come to an end, but one's entire family may also be wiped out.

He was also implicated in the salt tax embezzlement case.

"Humph."

Jiang Mengxuan couldn't help but snort coldly.

"Such a major case has occurred, and none of you, the pillars of the court, dare to step forward and thoroughly investigate it. Can you stand in the main hall with a clear conscience?"

Seeing the Empress's anger, the courtiers immediately trembled with fear.

Ye Mo knew that he had to step forward to stabilize the situation at this time.

"Your Majesty, this old minister can recommend someone who will surely investigate this case thoroughly."

Jiang Mengxuan closed her phoenix eyes, thinking to herself, "I've finally forced you out."

In fact, Jiang Mengxuan was waiting for Ye Mo's attitude.

How could she not know that the salt tax, the sharp decline in household registration, and the officialdom in Jiangnan were inextricably linked? What she wanted was for you to give a proper attitude and see whose side you were on.

"Oh, who does Minister Ye recommend for the position of Inspector?"

Ye Mo looked up and replied, "Liu Wu, Prefect of Zhangling County."

As soon as he finished speaking, the entire hall erupted in chaos.

Even the Empress frowned slightly.

"Prime Minister Ye, tell me, who should be sent to conduct a thorough investigation?"

Faced with Jiang Mengxuan's repeated questioning, Ye Mo calmly replied, "This old minister recommends Liu Wu, the prefect of Zhangling, to serve as the inspector, ordered to thoroughly investigate the salt tax embezzlement case."

And regarding the case of the capital's roster, no one in the entire court is more suitable to participate in these two cases than Shen Lang!

Upon hearing this, Cao Xianzhi immediately stepped forward and said, "Prime Minister Ye, how can Liu Wu, as the Prefect of Zhangling, abandon his post to thoroughly investigate such a major case?"

Ye Mo calmly replied, "Liu Wu is an upright and incorruptible official, and he has never been affiliated with any party. Most importantly, he has never been afraid of being bullied by powerful figures."

I remember back then, because of the case of Prince Huai's embezzlement of farmland, I dared to directly accuse Prince Huai of violating the law and regulations, and scolded him so severely that Prince Huai was ashamed.

"May I ask, is there anyone more suitable than him to thoroughly investigate such a shocking case?"

Cao Xianzhi immediately became anxious: "But Prefect Liu is not qualified to hear cases."

Ye Mo laughed: "The Jingwei Division can assist from the side. Does His Majesty's Jingwei Division have anyone who can't handle cases?"

Cao Xianzhi was speechless for a moment, looking at Ye Mo with an incredulous expression.

Upon hearing that Liu Wu had been appointed as the Inspector General, all the officials in the court broke out in a cold sweat and looked fearful.

As for the Empress, she furrowed her brows, caught in a dilemma.

She was well aware of how complicated things were, and that if the investigation went deeper, Liu Wu's life would likely be seriously threatened.

Jiang Mengxuan didn't want to see a loyal minister like Liu Wu get into trouble; he was a rare ray of light in the Great Chu.

The situation suddenly reached a stalemate.

Ye Mo proposed the plan because Liu Wu did not belong to any faction in the court, so there was no need to worry about him colluding with local authorities to deceive his superiors.

As for whether anything can be found out, and what actions will be taken after it is found out, that is something Jiang Mengxuan needs to consider.

Land annexation and salt tax deficits had been accumulating for a long time within the Chu Kingdom, and the "boiling frog in lukewarm water" approach was completely ineffective.

Only a decisive strike can break the current stalemate; it remains to be seen whether the Empress has the courage and determination to do so.

At the same time, Ye Mo also wanted to take this opportunity to see if this young empress, who was not yet eighteen, dared to have the courage to clean up the mess in Jiangnan.

"I will consider this matter carefully."

In the end, Jiang Mengxuan did not make a decision immediately, but gave an ambiguous answer.

……

After the court session ended, in the Imperial Study.

Ye Mo sat on the left side of the imperial desk, head bowed, waiting for Jiang Mengxuan to ask her questions.

After a cup of tea, Jiang Mengxuan finished reviewing the last memorial, then looked up and asked, "Prime Minister Ye, why did you insist on recommending Liu Wu as Inspector General?"

Is there no one else in our court besides Liu Wu who is capable of this task?

"Yes, actually Shen Lang is more suitable than Liu Wu, but this old minister knows that His Majesty will definitely not agree."

Ye Mo calmly replied, "Your Majesty, if you truly wish to order the punishment and rectification of local officials..."

Sending anyone would be more suitable than sending Shen Lang, but unfortunately Shen Lang is currently leading troops in the field, so Liu Wu is the only suitable candidate at the moment.

Jiang Mengxuan frowned, waiting quietly for Ye Mo to continue.

Ye Mo analyzed, "Currently, the court is rife with factions, and they have extensive connections with local authorities. No matter which of the Six Ministries is sent to investigate the case, they will not be able to meet His Majesty's expectations."

Only Liu Wu was upright and incorruptible, unafraid of powerful figures, and dared to challenge local officials.

To be honest, the officialdom of the Great Chu Dynasty really needs a overhaul.

Whether it succeeds or not, at least the court and the public must see His Majesty's determination to rectify officialdom.

At this point, Ye Mo couldn't help but sigh.

Jiang Mengxuan said, "Prime Minister Ye, as you know, this matter involves a wide range of people. Can Liu Wu really withstand such great pressure?"

Ye Mo: "Your Majesty, this old minister knows that this is difficult for you, but you are the ruler of the Great Chu Kingdom, and your heart should be with the country and its people."

Moreover, in my humble opinion, Liu Wu is a decisive and efficient man who never hesitates to act. He is the most suitable candidate at present to rectify the bad habits in officialdom.

Of course, the final decision on this matter rests with Your Majesty. This old minister is merely offering a suggestion; if Your Majesty is unwilling, then please disregard what I said.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Mengxuan got up and walked to the windowsill.

Looking at the scene of butterflies fluttering outside the window, I felt extremely melancholy.

After a long silence, she turned around and said, "I don't want an upright official like Liu Wu to get into trouble. Is there really no room for maneuver in this matter?"

Upon hearing this, Ye Mo stood up and said, "Since Your Majesty has already made up your mind, then this old minister will not try to persuade you any further."

Just as Ye Mo was about to take his leave, Jiang Chaoyun's voice rang out from outside the Imperial Study.

"Your Majesty, military report from the front!"

Both the emperor and his minister were taken aback upon hearing this.

"Come in and talk."

Upon receiving the order, Jiang Chaoyun quickly entered the Imperial Study.

Before the emperor and his minister could ask any questions, Jiang Chaoyun, her eyes bloodshot, knelt down on the ground.

"Your Majesty, General Shen reports that Guanzhong has been pacified, and the old capital Chang'an... has been recovered..."

Silence fell, as if the air itself had stopped moving.

Inside the Imperial Study, Jiang Mengxuan and Ye Mo watched Jiang Chaoyun kneeling on the ground, holding the military report above his head with both hands, and neither of them spoke first.

After an unknown amount of time, Ye Mo burst into tears and couldn't help but shout out.

"May Heaven bless my Great Chu! Hahahaha..."

For a moment, the powerful minister covered his face and wept with joy.

Unbeknownst to her, Jiang Mengxuan's eyes welled up with tears, which she struggled to hold back.

She took the military report in a daze, feeling as if it weighed a ton in her hand.

"Shen Lang...I...I..."

The empress turned her back and couldn't help but cover her mouth to avoid losing her composure.

Tears, however, flowed uncontrollably down her delicate cheeks like a burst dam.

After a long while, Jiang Mengxuan tried her best to suppress her emotions, wiped away the tears on her face, and glanced at the cover of the military newspaper in her hand.

"I hereby proclaim to the world, and let the whole nation rejoice, for I am going to the ancestral temple to pay homage to our ancestors!"

……

Inside the royal ancestral hall, the portraits of forty-seven monarchs since the founding of the Great Chu Dynasty are displayed.

Jiang Mengxuan lit an ever-burning lamp and silently knelt before the memorial tablet.

"With our ancestors above us, I, Jiang Mengxuan, the forty-eighth monarch of the Great Chu, report this victory to you."

She took a deep breath and placed the frontline report on the table.

As she looked up, a single, glistening tear slid down to the floor.

"The old capital Chang'an has been recovered! You can finally rest in peace in the afterlife!"

After speaking, she bowed three times, then raised her hand and looked at the memorial tablet of the late Emperor Jiang Yan.

"Father, did you see that? Your son didn't disappoint you, did he? If you could see this scene from the afterlife, would you be pleased?"

At this point, Jiang Mengxuan could no longer hold back, and two streams of tears uncontrollably slid down her cheeks.

At this moment, she had been holding it in for far too long.

The doubts, misunderstandings, and ridicule surrounding her ascension to the throne never ceased, constantly testing Jiang Mengxuan, who was only sixteen years old at the time.

At that time, the empress had no one to share her troubles, and no one to point her in the right direction. She had to silently bear all her grievances.

Now, in less than three years, the old capital lost by our ancestors has been restored in our own hands. The name of Empress Jiang Mengxuan is destined to be written in history and praised by future generations.

"Ancestors, please rest assured, I will lead the Chu Kingdom to even greater heights, and the Jiang clan's reputation will spread across every inch of the continent."

"May Great Chu become the center of the world. If you have spirits in heaven, please bless this junior so that I may fulfill this long-cherished wish in my lifetime!"

"Furthermore, I must report something to you: the one who brought about all this glory is Shen Lang, the husband I personally chose."

Without him, there would be no Chu Kingdom today. Please bless him and your descendants, so that our marriage may be harmonious and our hearts may be united forever!

After speaking, Jiang Mengxuan bowed again.

A gentle breeze blew by, and a soft dragon's roar echoed from within the ancestral hall.

It seemed to be the response from the former emperors of Chu to the empress.